J.S. BACH: ST MATTHEW PASSION, BWV 244B (EARLY
VERSION)

Bach’s St Matthew Passion was
probably first performed in
1727 in an early version, some
years before he produced his
autograph fair copy in 1736.
The differences are small, the most substantial
being the
chorale that originally concluded Part 1,
Jesum lass ich nicht von mir, which was replaced by the large-scale
O Mensch bewein.
other changes were limited to harmonic details,
part-writing,
allocation of solo voices and instruments.

Both the academy of ancient Music (AAM) and
Yorkshire
Baroque Soloists (YBS) here attempt to recreate
the first performance, based on a manuscript copied by J.C.
Farlau post-1750.
However, the recordings reveal significant
differences. First,
resources: following Joshua Rifkin and Andrew
Parrott, YBS use
single strings and single voices (one to a part)
whereas AAM use
three violins in each orchestra and a line-up of
3-2-2-3 voices
in each choir. Both deliver excellent
performances from expert
soloists, singers and players, with mostly
well-judged recording balances, but the details are interesting to
compare. For
example, in the duet no.27a, So ist mein Jesum
nun gefangen,
Egarr takes the opportunity to excise the
significant appoggiaturas, which are absent in the Farlau MS but
present in
Bach’s 1736 autograph. Conversely, Seymour
assumes the
appoggiatura convention was well known by 1727
and adds
them throughout. it seems that both conductors
use the
performance uncertainties in the Farlau MS as
opportunities for
personal interpretation, while using Bach’s
autograph when it
suits them.

Seymour’s tempi seem right to my ears, although
his chorales
are often rather brisk for the expressive
harmonies. Egarr’s
tempi throughout are even brisker, leading to
interpretations
that border on the lightweight in places. He can
also change
tempi mid-movement rather wilfully, presumably
for subjective
rhetorical purposes. However, these are
significant readings
that inspire further thinking about this greatest
of all Passions.